EMPOWER 2026 Speaker’s and Moderator’s Bios

Breakfast Keynote

Katie P. Desiderio, Ph.D.

Katie P. Desiderio, Ph.D. is an organizational learning and leadership scholar, executive coach, and national best-selling author of The Beekeeper and The Stargazer. She optimizes human performance at the individual, team, and organizational levels, helping leaders spark growth that is both measurable and meaningful. 

With more than 20 years of experience in leadership development and change management, she integrates evidence-based science with whole-person performance. A professor at Moravian University and founder of Proximal Development, she brings an athlete’s mindset as a former collegiate athlete and proud mom of two elite soccer players. 

Desiderio believes leadership is not about position, but proximity.

Lunch Keynote

Jodi Kantor

Jodi Kantor is a bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter known for uncovering hidden truths about power, justice, gender, technology, and culture. Her reporting has driven tangible change, from influencing workplace reforms at major corporations like Amazon and Starbucks to inspiring the creation of lactation pods now used across the country. She first gained national prominence for her coverage of Barack and Michelle Obama and later co-authored the acclaimed book The Obamas. Over the years, her work has earned widespread recognition and numerous honors, reflecting both her meticulous reporting and her influence across the political spectrum.

In 2017, Kantor and Megan Twohey exposed decades of sexual abuse allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, a groundbreaking investigation that helped ignite a global reckoning over the treatment of women and earned the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Their book She Said offered a behind-the-scenes look at the investigation and became an instant classic, later adapted into a major motion picture. They also created Chasing the Truth, a guide for young journalists committed to pursuing difficult stories and holding powerful institutions accountable.

More recently, Kantor has focused on the U.S. Supreme Court, revealing behind-the-scenes details surrounding the overturning of the constitutional right to abortion, concerns about internal investigations, and questions of ethics involving members of the Court. Her reporting has prompted renewed public scrutiny and calls for higher ethical standards. In 2025, she joined The New York Times’ Washington bureau Supreme Court team full-time. Her forthcoming book, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work, encourages young people to build meaningful, enduring careers—reflecting her longstanding commitment not only to investigative journalism, but also to mentoring the next generation

Speakers

Maria Conigliaro

Maria Conigliaro is the founder and principal at Inspired Studio. Conigliaro is an entrepreneur, NeuroCoach, and speaker who helps business owners and leaders navigate change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Raised by third-generation Italian restaurant owners, she learned adaptability and resilience early, qualities that fueled the growth of her award-winning brand design agency, Inspired Studio. With more than 20 years of experience, Conigliaro has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and executives nationwide. Through brain-based coaching and neuroscience-informed strategy, she teaches audiences how to uncover their “Golden Thread,” the hidden belief where success and self-sabotage intersect, and rewire it for alignment and impact.

Conigiliaro received a bachelor’s degree from Kutztown University. She is a Certified NeuroCoach™, a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, a EFT & TFT Tapping Practitioner Certification, and a Heroic Public Speaking graduate. 

Janna Genzlinger

Janna Genzlinger is the senior director of human resources for Settlers Hospitality. 

Genzlinger returned to Settlers Hospitality in 2022 after a career in New York charter schools as a managing director of leadership development, principal, and education leader.

Genzlinger created the human resources department at Settlers Hospitality to center workforce development and community.

Genzlinger received a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a master’s degree from Hunter College. 

Dr. Stephanie C. Gresh

Dr. Stephanie C. Gresh is the founder of Future Proof Career Coaching and a professor at Penn State University’s Lehigh Valley campus. 

With more than a decade of higher education and leadership experience, Dr. Gresh’s pioneering work embedding generative AI in the classroom earned her the 2024 Penn State TLT Faculty Engagement Award. Through her “AI Basics for All” workshop, she makes complex tools practical and accessible for non-technical learners.

In addition, Dr. Gresh is the author of The Soft Side of Industry 4.0: Finding Success in the Digital Landscape.

Through Future Proof Career Coaching, Dr. Gresh champions essential human skills in the digital age. She presents at global conferences and delivers transformative workshops that fuse academic depth with real-world impact.

Dr. Gresh received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rider University and her doctorate degree from Eastern University. She also holds a 2024 No-Code AI and Machine Learning certification from MIT.

Sharla McBride

Sharla McBride is the co-host of ‘Wake Up America’ on Newsmax, which is broadcast live across the nation from the network’s NYC studio.

An Emmy, Associated Press, and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards winner, McBride has worked as a television news and sports anchor for 20 years, having held prominent roles on TV networks in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA area, and in her home state of Texas.

McBride received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Georgia, and she roots for her Dawgs every chance she gets!

Myriam Muniz

Myriam Muniz is the founder of Momentum Moves Mountains, a career and leadership coaching company helping women navigate transition with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

After more than 30 years in corporate America, she turned her own “now what?” moment into a mission to empower women to rise beyond fear, burnout, and self-doubt. A career coach, speaker, and author of the Now What? book series, Muniz equips emerging and established leaders to move forward with authenticity and impact.

Muniz received a bachelor’s degree from B.A.M. Theological Institute and will finalize her master’s degree from B.A.M. Theological Institute in May 2026. 

Linda Rowe

Linda Rowe is a speaker and leadership facilitator, partnering with individuals and organizations to foster authentic growth and development. Known for her passionate yet grounded approach, she focuses on building confidence, presence, and purpose, helping leaders understand how they show up both in real life and in digital spaces where authenticity ultimately matters most.

Rowe has more than 20 years of experience as a sales and people leader, building relationships rooted in trust and real-world practice. Her work reflects a belief that meaningful leadership happens at the intersection of theory and lived experience, and she remains deeply engaged in her community through nonprofit board service, creating clarity and “lightbulb moments” that align values with action.

Rowe holds an MBA from The University of Scranton and a bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Global Dynamics from King’s College, where her studies included international experience in Brazil and India. Additionally, she is a licensed life, accident, and health insurance agent in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is a graduate, advisor, and current advisory council member of Leadership Northeast’s CORE Program.

Dr. Katie Shvartsman

Dr. Katie Shvartsman recently joined Geisinger Health’s gynecology team, bringing expertise in menopause and vulvovaginal health to women across northeastern Pennsylvania. She previously served as vice chair of education in the department of OB/GYN at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, where she directed the Vulvar Dermatology Clinic and co-founded the Menopause Telehealth Clinic. She also served as a gynecology consultant to the White House Medical Unit.

Dr. Shvartsman began her career as an active-duty Navy physician and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is dedicated to empowering women with knowledge and evidence-based care to help them thrive in midlife and beyond.

Dr. Shvartsman received her bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed Ob/Gyn training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. She is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner.

Susan Unvarsky

Susan Unvarsky is an experienced C-Suite Global Executive, known for her leadership strengths in operational efficiency and service excellence, profitability/growth initiatives, risk assessments, mergers & acquisitions and cultural integrations, especially in highly regulated environments. 

Unvarsky spent thirty-five years with Prudential before retiring in 2023.  In her roles at Prudential, Unvarsky led large and complex global teams that delivered all elements of service to an institutional and individual customer base of 4M+ customers. She also led the successful outcome of consolidating life and retirement claim experiences across four enterprise businesses, and the adoption of the first Salesforce platform for claims. 

A community advocate, Unvarsky has volunteered her time to dozens of board positions over the past 25 years, including academic institutions, health care organizations, and chamber of commerce workforce programs.  She currently serves on the boards of Luzerne County Community College, King’s College and Rural Health Corporation.

Unvarsky received her undergraduate degrees from Luzerne County Community College and King’s College and her master’s degree from Boston University.  

Talia Walsh

Talia Walsh is the owner of Quest Studio, a boutique fitness, yoga, and recovery space where movement meets healing. A wellness entrepreneur, speaker, and mindset coach, she currently guides individuals through movement-based healing, coaching, and transformational conversations that help redefine strength, identity, and legacy in the face of life’s unexpected challenges.

Walsh’s background is shaped by both professional expertise and powerful lived experience. After surviving a life-changing accident that caused facial paralysis and altered her ability to smile, she rebuilt her life from the inside out, discovering that true strength comes from showing up with courage when certainty is gone. She brings this perspective into her work through speaking and coaching, empowering others to navigate adversity, reconnect with themselves, and become the strongest version of who they are meant to be.

Walsh holds a master’s degree from Bloomsburg University. She is Pennsylvania’s first Level 4 Fascial Stretch Therapy Practitioner and a Dermal-Fascial Restoration Specialist, with advanced training in Thai massage, posture correction, and numerous healing modalities. With over 40 certifications in fitness, nutrition, and coaching, Walsh has further specialized in wellness coaching as a behavior change specialist and mindset coach, blending education with experience to create deeply impactful work.

Moderators

Megan Alpert

Megan Alpert is founder and principal at Joy Wealth Partners. A gifted listener and natural collaborator, Alpert founded Joy World Wealth Partners in 2023 to help clients cultivate positive money mindsets and bring peace, joy, and ease to the financial planning process.

A seasoned financial services professional with more than 20 years of experience, Alpert’s approach using holistic financial advice helps her clients dream big. She partners with clients to create a plan considering the journey and destination, and presents opportunities to assist clients in making decisions that align with their highest purpose.

Alpert received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Pittsburgh. She holds the designation as a CPFA-Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor and the FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations, and has her life and health insurance licenses.

Elizabeth Nagy

Elizabeth Nagy serves as vice president, director of sales, marketing and digital banking for The Honesdale National Bank.

A New Jersey native, prior to moving to Pennsylvania, Nagy worked at Taylor, a public relations agency in New York City, supporting Fortune 500 consumer and luxury brands.

In addition to working for The Honesdale National Bank, Nagy supports her professional community by serving on the public relations committee for the Pennsylvania Bankers Association. In 2024, she was appointed Chair of the Bank Marketing School for the American Bankers Association. She further supports the NEPA community through serving on the board and executive committee of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. She is a volunteer coach for Valley Youth United Soccer and the Carbino Club. She further serves as treasurer for The Honesdale National Bank Foundation and has held previous board terms with other community organizations, including Dress for Success Lackawanna, the Greater Carbondale YMCA, Skills in Scranton, and Leadership Lackawanna.  

Nagy received a bachelor’s degree from Susquehanna University and a master’s degree from Syracuse University. She is a graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management and is accredited as a Certified Financial Marketing Professional.

Jill Valentini

Jill Valentini is vice president and director of retail lending at Fidelity Bank, where she manages the retail mortgage and consumer lending portfolio and leads key strategic and regulatory initiatives. With a 17-year career, she has advanced through multiple leadership roles and is recognized for her thoughtful approach to leadership and community-focused banking.

Valentini brings a strong background in financial services leadership and community engagement, having served on local boards and remaining active on committees with MetroAction and The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

Valentini is a graduate of Penn State University and a graduate of Leadership Lackawanna.

Panelists

Patricia Bezerra

Patricia Bezerra is the founder of Pachee’s Spa, a professional skincare studio located in Dickson City.

After struggling with her own skin for years. Bezerra transformed personal adversity into purpose, pursuing an advanced education in esthetics to empower other women.

Bezerra previously held roles in Tourism and Hospitality and brings a foundation of service excellence, client experience, and leadership into her studio. She empowers women to feel confident in their skin while openly navigating conversations about growth, self-doubt, and stepping fully into their expertise. She was named a Top 20 Under 40 recipient by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal.

Bezerra received an associate’s degree from The Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) in Brazil. She also obtained her esthetics license from the Beauty Institute and completed advanced continuing education courses in skincare ingredients, corrective modalities, clinical treatment protocols, and business development.

Amy Branning

Amy Branning is the senior vice president—commercial lending officer team leader at Peoples Security Bank & Trust. 

With nearly twenty years in the banking industry, she has held roles as a credit analyst and later transitioned into a role in commercial lending. 

With Peoples Security Bank & Trust, Branning has continued to grow in her career and currently leads a team of five lenders. 

Branning serves on the board of directors for Scranton Counseling Center and MetroAction.

Branning received a bachelor’s degree from Marywood University.

Olivia Eaddy

Olivia Eaddy is the assistant vice president of dental shared services at Sun Life. In this role, Eaddy focuses on transforming service and operating models to support the organization’s mission of improving oral health care, while leading a team of approximately 100 associates.

Prior to joining Sun Life, Eaddy spent nearly twenty years in the financial industry, where she was responsible for the life claims division and the claims contact centers for four different U.S. businesses at a Fortune 100 company. Eaddy has a diverse background with direct experience in annuities, group insurance, and individual life insurance business groups.

Eaddy is passionate about people and is the co-founder of Will-Liv Ministries, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on helping people live life to the fullest.

Eaddy received a bachelor’s degree from Messiah University and a master’s degree from Liberty University. She is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Certified Business Architect, and has held a Series 6 and 26 FINRA license.

Kat Fox

Kat Fox is the founder of Kat Fox Design. Launched in 2020, Kat Fox Design helps small businesses stand out and succeed online. From brand identity to full digital strategy, every solution is built to connect with your audience and grow your business.

Fox began her career in New York City in the jewelry industry, where her career evolved from the production side of the business to branding, ecommerce and marketing. Self-taught, Fox learned the deliverable side of the business, including website design, graphic design, and digital marketing, while implementing the financial and operational foundations required to grow a business. 

Fox received an associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Since 2021, she has served as a business advisor and instructor with the Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center, guiding entrepreneurs in strategy and digital growth. In 2025, she was honored as a Top 20 Under 40 recipient by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. Beyond her formal education, Fox is a continuous student of evolving design, technology, and online business strategy.

Mary Kolessar

Mary Kolessar is the executive director of DiscoverNEPA, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services’ ten-county regional marketing initiative dedicated to promoting northeastern Pennsylvania as a great place to live, learn, work, and play. Since its launch in 2018, she has led the growth of the platform as a comprehensive regional resource highlighting local businesses, nonprofits, events, and community opportunities through engaging articles, photography, and video.

Kolessar is an active community leader currently serving on the boards of the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Misericordia University, the Cancer Wellness Center of NEPA, North Branch Land Trust, Skills in Scranton, and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry. She is also a member of Circle 200.

Kolessar received a bachelor’s degree from King’s College and earned a master’s degree from Misericordia University. 

Christina Manuel

Christina Manuel is director of development and communications at United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC), where she leads fundraising, marketing, and grants management for one of the region’s largest nonprofit organizations.

For nearly a decade at UNC, Manuel has worked in neighborhood revitalization, business and government partnerships, and nonprofit fundraising and communications. Her leadership path reflects hands-on involvement, collaboration, and the belief that community engagement creates opportunity. She is also a United States Air Force veteran and was primarily stationed in Japan, working in contract negotiation and developing strong skills in communication, accountability, and relationship management.

Manuel received an associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree from The University of Maryland Global Campus (Asian Division).

Stephanie Mercado

Stephanie Mercado is the owner of Farm Box Fitness in Madison Township, PA. She relocated to northeastern Pennsylvania from New York, where she previously built and operated a successful gym, health, and wellness business. Although she hadn’t initially planned to open a new gym after her move, Mercado’s passion for fitness, wellness, and empowering women naturally guided her to continue her work in her new community.

What began as a very small group of women training on her farm quickly grew into a supportive, high-energy community where she helps clients push themselves to higher levels of fitness and wellness while building strength and confidence. Mercado also educates her clients on proper nutrition. Together, these programs deliver a challenging yet supportive total-body fitness experience for all levels.

Outside the gym, she embraces farm life with her husband and two beautiful daughters.

Mercado is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and CrossFit Level 1 certified (CF-OL1). She is also a proud United States Marine Corps veteran. She also serves as a regional vice president with Arbonne, a global health, wellness, and beauty company focused on plant-based nutrition and clean products. 

Kathleen Pearage

Kathleen Pearage is the owner and administrator of Tri-Star Academy, a local family childcare facility.

In 2004, Pearage began her entrepreneurship journey by purchasing her first childcare facility. Since then, she has grown the business to include four locations serving northeastern Pennsylvania. 

With more than twenty-five years of experience in early learning and education, Pearage believes that when children and families are supported from the beginning, it leads to a strong community and benefits society.

In her spare time, Pearage enjoys hiking, yoga, and traveling.

Pearage received a bachelor’s degree from Commonwealth University—Bloomsburg, and an active member of the Pennsylvania Child Care Association.

Dani Ruhf

Danielle “Dani” Ruhf is the founder and chief executive officer of CHOP Out Hunger, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit serving thousands of children each week through innovative hunger-relief programs.

A visionary leader and national speaker, Ruhf specializes in nonprofit growth, fundraising, and social impact.

Ruhf received a bachelor’s degree from Wilkes University.  In addition, she is a graduate of the Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator and a current member of he University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program.

Wellness

Kailin Bouse

Kailin Bouse is the owner of Kailin of Earth Wellness Studio in Clarks Summit, where she currently serves as a 500-Hour Yoga and Meditation Instructor, Reiki Master Teacher, and Certified Sound Therapist. Through her studio, Bouse is devoted to helping individuals feel safe, seen, and empowered, with work that is deeply grounded in nervous system regulation, spiritual development, and holistic well-being.

Bouse’s background reflects a thoughtful blend of ancient wisdom and modern, science-informed practices. Her offerings support physical, mental, and emotional wellness while fostering human connection and self-awareness, integrating yoga, meditation, sound therapy, and energy work to build resilience to stress.

Bouse holds an E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor Certification through Yoga Alliance, along with 200-Hour Yoga and Meditation training from the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science & Philosophy. She also holds a 300-Hour Yoga and Meditation certification from Yoga Farm Ithaca, and is certified as a Sound Therapist through the Institute of Conscious Evolution, and is a Reiki Master Teacher, holding Usui Reiki Level IV certification.

Edna Cementina

Edna Cementina is the owner of EHealth Wellness & Fitness Studio in Dunmore. She offers personal training, massage therapy, and body contour services.

For two decades, Cementina worked as a client service executive with Cigna Healthcare, but her passion for wellness led her to the fitness industry. In 2021, she opened a 600-square-foot fitness studio in Dunmore, which has grown into a 4,000-square-foot wellness center offering group fitness, spin, strength training, massage therapy, Reiki, and more.

Cementina has an associate degree in business administration. She is ASFA Certified in Personal Training, Group & Bootcamp Fitness Instruction, Indoor Spin/Cycling Instruction, and acertified instructor in ZUMBA, Strong Nation, and POUNDFit.

Tara Grossi

Tara Grossi is an intuitive medium and reverend, and the owner of Tara Grossi, LLC. With more than 24 years of experience, Grossi supports individuals navigating grief, major life transitions, emotional healing, and spiritual growth, offering grounded guidance that blends intuition with compassion and practical insight.

In addition to her work, Grossi is a certified yoga instructor, ordained minister, and life coach, integrating mindfulness, movement, and spiritual counseling to help clients reconnect with themselves and move forward with clarity and purpose.

Grossi’s studied marketing at Hamilton College, Travel and Tourism at Corning Community College, and Cosmetology at Continental School of Beauty. She also holds a certificate in PHR from Villanova University, and trainings include Advanced Psychic Skills, Advanced Mediumship, Mindfulness Training, Past Life Regression Certification, Master Level Mediumship, and Life Coach Certification, along with Ordained Minister and Medium Certification from the Trilogy Institute.

Katie Hoban

Katie Hoban is the founder of Hoban Wellness, where she designs and delivers holistic wellness experiences tailored for leaders and communities. At Hoban Wellness, she offers Reiki sessions, private and group yoga classes, guided meditation, mindfulness programming, cooking classes, online programs, and signature workshops for studios and community events. Hoban also partners with schools throughout the tri-state area to integrate mindfulness, yoga, and holistic well-being into leadership and learning environments.

Hoban has over two decades of experience as an educator and educational leader. She is also the founder of The Palmer School, providing courses and continuing education opportunities for wellness providers, and her work consistently emphasizes the cultivation of healing, resilience, and wholeness.

Hoban received a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and an advanced degree from Gwynedd Mercy University. She also completed professional training in photography through the New York Institute of Photography.

Hoban holds E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, RCYT®, and YACEP® credentials through Yoga Alliance and is a certified Reiki Master, with additional training in Trauma-Informed Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Therapy for Anxiety.

Jeannine Luby

Jeannine Luby is the founder of Laugh to Live, a mission-driven business spreading joy, resilience, and connection through laughter-based presentations and speaking engagements. She currently shares her work throughout northeastern Pennsylvania as well as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Luby’s background blends humor, advocacy, and communications in a way that is both impactful and deeply human. She established the donor-advised Humor Therapy Fund with the Scranton Area Community Foundation and continues to guide its grantmaking to bring healing laughter into the community. She also produces and performs stand-up comedy under the brand Funny Wine Girl and hosts the weekly podcast Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl, which amplifies women’s voices.

Luby’s holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from The Pennsylvania State University and a masters in communication arts from Marywood University, along with certifications from the American School of Laughter Yoga and the World Laughter Tour. Her additional credentials include certificates in Using Humor in the Workplace from eCornell, Positive Psychology: Martin E. P. Seligman’s Visionary Science from the University of Pennsylvania and Coursera, Mental Health First Aid from Mental Health First Aid USA, and she is currently pursuing an online certification in Forest Therapy through Alma Oasis.

Dawn Marino

Dawn Marino is a spiritual medium and channeler, a certified crystal energy healer, intuitive healer, and a tarot reader. She is also an artist who creates channeled healing art infused with energy.

Marino is the author of two published tarot books, “Tarot Journal for Beginners” and “The Complete Guide to Tarot.” Her healings focus on working through the Dark Night of the Soul and the Void space, reconnecting you to your higher self and helping you to feel empowered again.

Marino uses crystal healing by tapping into the energy and consciousness of different crystals and drawing their energy and wisdom. Her work is a unique blend of channeled messages, crystals, tarot, art, and healing techniques. She enjoys connecting with people in person and remotely supporting them on their healing journeys, working with them as they rebuild their sense of self and purpose.

Marino is a Certified Professional Crystal Energy Healer, Certified Level II Reiki Practitioner, Certified in intuitive tarot and mediumship studies, and an ordained minister.

Teen

Elika Almeida

Elika Almeida is the executive director of Youth Infusion, Inc., where she leads initiatives that amplify youth voice, leadership, and mental well-being through the Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YLAB), Youth Talks podcast, and Girls Infused program. 

Almeida has championed youth and women’s advocacy in the Pocono Mountains since 2004. A certified youth and teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor, Almeida is committed to mentorship, early intervention, and empowering young people to lead with confidence and purpose.

Arielle Biggs

Arielle Biggs is a senior at East Stroudsburg High School North. Biggs was sworn in as Pennsylvania’s Youth Commissioner in January 2026, where she advocates for youth voice and civic engagement statewide. She also serves as a Youth Leadership Advisory Board (YLAB) Student Ambassador and facilitated the statewide MLK Day Youth Panel in partnership with Youth Service America and PennSERVE.

Biggs excels in academics, the arts, athletics, and leadership. She performs in band and choir, participated in Seussical the Musical, and previously played varsity soccer.

Biggs will attend Delaware Valley University and study Animal Sciences. She plans to become a veterinarian.

Kelly Conlon-Mazzucca

Kelly Conlon‑Mazzucca is the program coordinator and lecturer for the corporate communication program at Penn State Scranton and Interim Program Coordinator at Penn State Hazleton, where she leads curriculum development, program assessment, student engagement, and community partnerships.

With more than 15 years in higher education and professional experience in advertising and small business ownership, she brings industry insight to courses focused on corporate communication strategy and professional speaking.

Conlon-Mazzucca is committed to experiential learning, mentoring students, and creating community-based partnerships that prepare graduates for professional success while strengthening regional organizations. Conlon-Mazzucca received a bachelor’s degree from Wilkes University, a master’s degree from Marywood University, and is currently completing her PhD in Strategic Leadership at Marywood University, where her research focuses on the communication experiences of law enforcement families.

Nicole Morristell

Nicole Morristell is the executive director of Leadership Lackawanna, The Chamber’s community leadership and professional development division. She oversees programs that cultivate leaders from high school students to seasoned executives, including Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, Collegiate, Core, Fundamentals 2.0, and the Executive program, and Welcome Scranton! She also manages events and fundraisers that support these initiatives.

Prior to joining The Chamber, Morristell worked for the Girl Scouts organization, where she served in a number of positions over the years, including marketing and community outreach specialist, public relations director, and special events manager.

Morristell’s achievements include recognition as a Top 20 Under 40 and Top 25 Woman in Business by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Journal, the Change Maker Award from the Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Leadership Programs National Volunteer of the Year Award.

Morristell serves as a committee member and Pennsylvania State Ambassador for the Association of Leadership Programs (ALP). A proud mother of two, she is active with the Tunkhannock Intermediate Center PTO, Anthracite Football Club, Tunkhannock Junior Tigers, Cub Scouts Pack 175, and Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA. She is also a co-founder of Supporters of Camp Archbald.

Morristell is a graduate of Tunkhannock Area High School. She received a bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College and is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.

Morgan Sewack

Morgan Sewack is a marketing and communications specialist and adjunct lecturer of Corporate Communication at Penn State Scranton. She oversees digital communications, multimedia storytelling, and brand initiatives that support student recruitment and community engagement.

Sewack is a Leadership Lackawanna alumna and a recipient of its Shining Star Award. Additionally, she was recognized by the NEPA Business Journal as a Top 20 Under 40 recipient. Sewack serves as co‑chair of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Program, supporting leadership development and professional growth across the region.

Sewack received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State University.